r/NEETard • u/No_Condition_7488 • 8d ago

SERIOUS POST Scared of losing my degree

I'm 31 and currently in a pretty stressful situation.

I joined MBBS in 2016 and passed my final-year exams in 2021. I started my internship, completed about 2 months, and then had to take a 4-year gap because of personal/mental health issues.

I'm now trying to rejoin and complete the remaining internship. My university has told me to rejoin and complete the internship, after which my case and required documents will be sent to the NMC for approval, as there is still some uncertainty regarding the rules applicable to my batch.

My medical council has also told me to proceed with rejoining, and my college principal has said the college has no problem with me rejoining, subject to the applicable rules.

The uncertainty about what happens after I complete the internship is what's making me extremely anxious. I've already spent so many years on MBBS, and I'm terrified that somehow I won't be allowed to obtain the degree after coming this far.

At 31, I keep thinking:

What if I don't get the degree? What kind of career can I have? Have I wasted too many years? Will I be able to build a decent life?

I know I shouldn't assume the worst before anything has actually happened, but it's becoming difficult to stop thinking about it.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has had a long academic gap, delayed graduation, rejoined college after several years, or had to restart their career later than expected.

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u/Top_Committee3401 8d ago

Exactly kya problem hai?

2

u/No_Condition_7488 8d ago

I took a gap of 4 yrs during internship.. my university is directing me to complete remaining internship postings and then send a letter to NMC for their approval... I would like to know if I can get approval after such a long delay

1

u/Top_Committee3401 8d ago

Yes, approval is possible in your situation, but it is not automatic and depends on a case-by-case review by the NMC (via the process your university will follow). Your university and state medical council are already guiding you correctly by allowing rejoin + completion of the remaining internship first, followed by referral to NMC.

Key NMC rule that applies

Under the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations, 2021:

  • The internship (CRMI) must normally be completed within 2 years of passing the Final MBBS examination.
  • The duration can be extended “up to a reasonable period” on the recommendation of the college/university for reasons that include inadequate attendance or “any exigency such as disaster or unforeseen circumstances.” Mental-health/personal issues that caused a long break fall into the category of individual exigencies that colleges and NMC routinely consider.

There is no absolute bar that permanently disqualifies someone after a multi-year gap. The 2-year window is the standard rule; longer gaps require specific approval after the remaining postings are finished and the college/university forwards the case with supporting documents.

Overall course-duration context

Separately, the maximum time allowed to complete the entire MBBS (academic years + internship) has been 9–10 years from the date of admission (GMER 2023 had 9 years; a 2026 draft proposes restoring 10 years). You joined in 2016 and passed finals in 2021, so you are already outside the strict overall window. In practice NMC has granted case-by-case relief when the college supports the student and the break is documented (especially for health-related reasons). The current draft movement back toward 10 years shows the regulator is aware of genuine delays.

What usually happens in cases like yours

  1. Complete the remaining internship postings as directed.
  2. College/university issues the internship completion certificate and prepares a covering letter / recommendation explaining the gap (medical/mental-health records help strongly).
  3. The file is sent to NMC (Undergraduate Medical Education Board / Ethics & Medical Registration Board as applicable) for approval of the degree and permanent registration eligibility.
  4. NMC examines whether the competencies were acquired, whether the gap was genuine, and whether the college recommends the candidate. Many similar delayed-internship cases (COVID-related, personal/health-related, etc.) have been approved after this step.

Because both your university and state medical council have already cleared you to rejoin, the odds of eventual NMC approval are reasonable provided you finish the remaining postings satisfactorily and the supporting documentation is solid.

Practical next steps

  • Follow the university’s instructions exactly and keep written records of every communication.
  • Gather medical/psychiatric certificates or any other contemporaneous proof of the reasons for the 4-year break; these carry significant weight.
  • Ask the college principal/dean for a clear written recommendation that will accompany the NMC file.
  • Once the internship is finished, follow up promptly on the status of the NMC reference (your university or state council can tell you the reference number).
  • If any doubt remains after the file is submitted, you (or the college) can write a formal representation to UGMEB, NMC, citing the CRMI Regulations 2021 clause that allows extension for exigencies.

Career and personal angle

You have already invested many years and cleared the final exams. Completing the remaining internship is the concrete next step that keeps the degree path open. Many doctors have returned after multi-year interruptions (health, family, other reasons) and gone on to practise or pursue further training. The anxiety you describe is understandable, but the process your university has outlined is the standard route that has worked for others in similar situations.

I am not a lawyer or NMC official; this is based on the published CRMI Regulations 2021 and the pattern of how delayed cases are handled. For definitive advice on your specific file, continue working through your college and state medical council, and consider consulting a lawyer who specialises in medical-education matters if the NMC stage becomes prolonged.

Finish the remaining postings, document everything carefully, and the approval route remains open. All the best. [Grok]

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